Posted by:
knotheadusc
(
)
Date: May 09, 2020 02:58AM
Some of y'all know I like to sing. I'm pretty good at singing, but I can't play an instrument. I have a piano, but it's currently in storage in Texas. I live in Germany.
For the longest time, I have regretted never becoming proficient at playing an instrument. When I was very young, I took piano lessons. My mom was a church organist for many years, so it was natural I'd try to learn piano. I was making progress and that was where it was discovered that I have perfect pitch (which isn't as perfect as it used to be, forty years ago). But then we moved, and I quit playing piano.
Next, I tried drums in the 5th grade. I remember I tried them because unlike the other instruments, we had to audition for it. I think it was a decision I made on a whim, though, because I wasn't particularly interested in being a drummer. I passed the audition, but could never figure out how to hold the sticks properly. After a few weeks, the band teacher suggested I try another instrument. My sister had played clarinet and we had one in the house, so I switched to that and was relatively successful. But then I quit band.
For the next eight years, I didn't do any music at all, other than singing to the radio. Then I took a voice class for my general education requirements at college. I was very good at that, and wound up studying voice for several years.
Then I went to Armenia, where I sang all the time and toyed with the idea of learning to play an instrument. I farted around with piano, then I bought a crappy guitar at the Vernisage (weekly flea market). A friend taught me a few chords, but I made little progress. Then I couldn't tune the guitar because a part broke, so I just gave it up...
At one point, I had an electronic keyboard. Actually, I still have it, but it's in storage. I didn't bring it because it's not dual voltage.
Now, we're stuck at home, thanks to the pandemic. I have been watching legendary bass player Leland Sklar on YouTube, as well as a bunch of other awesome musicians I admire. I decided to order a guitar and have spent the past few days taking lessons on the Fender Web site. I've made a bit of progress, although my hands are smaller than I realized. I do a few lessons a day and try to review past ones. I'm not sure how far I'll get, but I'm better than I was on Thursday.
I have a Scottish friend named George that I met on YouTube who plays guitar very well, as well as keyboards. He's been in bands. Lately, we've done a few collaborations. Maybe someday, I will be able to add something with my guitar. This is our most recent collaboration, but we've done a few... It's so much easier for me to sing than play guitar!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p2Psct4z5k&t=6sI know there are a lot of musical people here, so if any of you have advice for a brand new guitar player, I'll all eyes and ears... I need all the hope and motivation I can get. Hopefully, when this is all over, I'll be a somewhat more skilled person than I was a few months ago.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2020 04:19AM by knotheadusc.